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You would be better off via the Nagercoil route. There are many restaurants en route too. This will be faster than the Kerala route by at least a couple of hours.

Alternate routes would be via

1. Thirumangalam > Thenmala > Trivandrum
2. Kovilpatti > Sankarankovil > Puliyangudi > Thenmala > Trivandrum

I am not sure about the condition of the ghat sections near Thenmala for the two routes. if you take the second route, you can stay on the 4-lane NH7 longer and for both routes, you will have to plan ahead for breaks at good restaurants. And the options arent as many as the ones you have on the Nagercoil route.

Hi Guys,

I am planning to travel from Bangalore to Kochin on the 3rd week of Dec. I know that the best route is via Salem-Coimbatore but I am planning to take a scenic route via the ghats. Google maps is suggesting this route (https://goo.gl/maps/qlXGO)
(marked in blue). Any suggestions to tweak this route and advice on road condition

Thanks!

Cheers

Lots of money is wasted in the name of tolls through Salem-Coimbatore. I have done exactly the same route given in your links 6 months back & those places around Nilaboor are scenic & road conditions were good except some areas after entering Kerala border, You could cruse 80-120 kmph most times.

The route you've shown via Gudalur / Nilambur is the shortest to Cochin, but by no means the fastest. The major issues that you would face are :

- The forest road in Tamilnadu through the Mudumalai sanctuary - specifically about 10-15 kms between Theppekkadu and Gudalur has absolutely horrendous roads, so you'd have to crawl at speeds of 10 to 15 kmph. Roads in Gudalur town are also pretty bad, so the roads would get better only a few kms after Gudalur.

- Roads in Kerala are inherently very trafficky and slow. You'd start seeing this right from Vazhikkadavu onwards after you descend the Nadugani ghats. It takes an awfully long time to get to Cochin from Nilambur even though the distance isn't all that much (under 200 kms).

The roads are scenic and generally good other than the sections I mentioned above. A slightly faster option through Kerala might be to deviate from Pattambi towards Shoranur and take Shoranur-Trichur-Angamaly-Cochin.

An alternate route that might be interesting is :

Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli- Talakadu-T.Narsipur-Chamarajnagar-Dimbum - Sathy- Puliampet-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Vadakkencherry-Trichur-Angamaly-Cochin. (The deviation through Talakad-T.Narsipur forced because of the closure of the Cauvery bridge on NH209). This I would think would be faster than going via Gudalur-Nilambur.

Post Gundlupet I dont think you have any options to break for food due to the forest route and ghat sections in the Nilambur route. The drive is also very cumbersome.
I would suggest you a modified Hosur-Salem-Coimbatore route to make it slightly scenic.

Via Attibele, Kelamangalam, Rayakottai, Palacode, Pennagaram, Mecheri, Omalur, Tharamangalam, Sankagiri, Erode, Kangeyam, Palladam, Pollachi, Kollengode, Alathur and then the regular NH47 route to Kochi. Mecheri-Pennagaram is a treat to drive. Kangeyam-Palladam stretch is bliss while Palladam-Pollachi route is full of wind mills.
In the above route you have good options to break for food unlike the Nilambur route. I have used the above route to go to Guruvayur.

Hi Suresh,

Sounds good for a 5:00am start, would not want to experiment in the night on this route. How much time did you take? Which are the restroom break options while driving with family?

For my trip to Guruvayur, i left my home in Koramangala (at that time) by 4 30 AM and went via Attibele, Rayakottai, Palcode by pass, Thoppur, Omalur, Tharamangalam, Sankagiri, Erode,Kangeyam, Palladam, Pollachi, Meenakshipuram, Kollengode, Alathur and Kecheri. I reached Guruvayur by 2 PM. I stopped in Erode for tiffin (1/2 an hr break).
I reached Erode by 8 30 AM and Pollachi by 11 AM.

For the above route that i took, you can break at Thoppur, Erode or even in Pollachi. Sakthi hotels in Pollachi is a very good option.

One must not experiment on SH in the night. This is nothing to do with any robbery or safety issue. The only hiccup is in the event of vehicle break down (God forbid it should happen to any one), no one will be around to assist you. That's all.

I have been recommended a Chambala Restaurant in Gudalur. This is a bit beyond Gudalur town towards Nadugani. Never been there, though. Apparently there's another decent option on the road towards Ooty but within Gudalur town limits (don't recall the name now).

Once you enter Kerala of course, there are several restaurants in the Vazhikkadavu-Nilambur-Vadapuram stretch. Veg food will be a challenge I expect.

Edit: Found it - https://plus.google.com/107128051120418062471/

Thanks Suresh, I am planning to drive through the Ghats at least one stretch of my journey so will be exploring the route through the ghats. After Cochin I will be driving to Palani and then to my hometown close to Pondy and then back to Bangalore so will try to explore more on this stretch



Thanks ASG, whats your take on Kala's point of view on the Mudumalai stretch between Theppekkadu and Gudalur

Thanks Kala, I considered your alternate router but this seems to be a 600 KM+ stretch; I am considering your suggestion to deviate from Pattambi towards Shoranur. Have you taken this Shoranur-Cochin route recently, how are the roads

Mod Note: Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

Nagercoil to Trivandrum, the road and traffic condition is a joke. I have did this route two weeks back and by that time it was raining like cats and dogs. Road condition were pathetic, right from entering Nagercoil town till Marthandam. Some sections were literally washed away by the recent frequent spell in that region. Traffic condition after Kaliakavilai will be like peak hour city traffic, moves B2B in inches.

I did Chennai-Trivandrum in a single day, started from Chennai at 6.00 am reached Nagercoil by 3.30 pm with 1.5 hour break. Its butter smooth.
After some rest, resumed journey from Nagercoil at 5.30 pm and reached Tvm by 8.45 pm (3.15 mins for 63 odd kms :deadhorse).

But any way this is the only better route i feel to reach Trivandrum faster.

About restaurants, you can find ~2 on the Madurai-Tirunelveli stretch, One Aryaas near Kovilpatti on the right side and other don't remember the name, nearby to the toll plaza.

For Bangalore to TVM, Blore Madurai, Thenkashi, Punalur, Adoor, TVM. Basically Cut into MC road and go to TVM. Avoid horrible Nagercoil route.

Thanks - would it take more time to get to Trivandrum on this route?...how is the traffic on this route?

Anyone having info on good fuel stations along the Salem - Avinashi route? Or along the Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi stretch? Planning to drive down from Chennai to Kerala for Xmas. Any updates on road conditions between Avinashi and Mannuthy would also be welcome.

Hello BHP ians

I plan to drive from Palakkad to Kanhangad this Wednesday 17th and return on the 20th. Lord Google suggests I take the route in the attachment. I plan to leave early in the morning around 0600 from Palakkad.

I need your suggestions on this route. Is there an alternate route that I should consider? Also, how much time will it take? With a break about every 100 km, will I be able to do it in 6 and a half hours?

My machine will be a Figo Petrol; but I guess on Kerala roads any motor vehicle other than a bus can expect to go upto 60-70 kmph max, eh?

That's NH 213/NH 17 throughout; which as you can see is as close to a crow's flight path as you can get. I don't think you have any other option that could work out faster. The kink in that route because of Mannarkad could be avoided if you took the route via Cherpulassery.

If you start early morning from Palakkad on a weekday you'll hit the Calicut-Kannur traffic (not to mention the Malappuram/Manjeri-Calicut traffic) in its full glory though.

Bypassing Malappuram: There is a decent bypass starting at Kavungal. Don't miss it.

Bypassing Calicut: when you reach Ramanattukara from Malappuram side, turn right onto the Calicut bypass. Go till its end (Eranhikkal), and turn right. Drive on for a few kilometres till you reach Atholi, a commuter town of Calicut. Take a left turn here, and after about 2 km you will reach NH 17. Don't even think of going through Calicut city.

Bypassing Kannur: I think you are SOL here.

Other smaller towns: Perinthalmanna, you have to go through the town. Kondotti used to have a bypass, probably the town has encroached it by now. Vadakara and Thalassery, I don't know but unlikely to have serviceable ones.

NH 17 beyond Kannur I believe is in pretty bad shape.

I think 6.5 hours is a bit on the lower side. Palakkad-Calicut should take between 3-3.5, Calicut-Kannur between 2.5-3 and rest everything maybe another hour. In general I don't expect to average better than 40kmph in Kerala.